October 25, 2024
The Nichols family has been growing pistachios in the Central Valley of California for four generations and more than 60 years.
Jared Lorraine, president and CEO of Nichols Farms, said he and the Nichols family — with third-generation James Nichols, vice president of farming, and Jeff Nichols, vice president of supply chain — have seen firsthand the exponential growth in California pistachios. Lorraine estimates the state produces roughly 63% of the world’s supply of pistachios.
“The total planet acreage across California moved from 271,000 acres back in 2013 to now it’s at 605,000 acres in 2023,” Lorraine said. “So, [that’s] a 123% increase in acreage just over the last 10 years.”
Lorraine said the critical figure within those acres is the total bearing acre — trees in pistachio production. He said the state has experienced a 127% increase in bearing acres from a little more than 200,000 acres in 2013 to 461,000 acres.
“The concerning part in the industry is that there’s another 144,000 acres of nonbearing that will come online in the near future with additional plantings likely to come,” Lorraine said.
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